How WordPress Theme Makers Can Keep Their Customers Happy

If you’re reading this post, chances are you’re already a WordPress theme author or aspiring to be one. If so, you ought to know that there’s more than providing a nice-looking theme and a solid code foundation: You’ve got to keep your existing customers happy. Why? Well, because if you keep them unhappy, or even upset, your sales will eventually decline due to negative comments and low ratings. Plus, positive reviews from happy customers will keep your motivation up high.

In this article, I’m going to talk about how to keep the customers happy in a WordPress theme business.

Providing an Extensive Documentation & Knowledge Base

You may think you made an easy-to-use theme, but you don’t get to make that remark: Users are the one who will decide whether your theme is easy-to-use or not. And even the easiest themes need a documentation.

Provide an extensive but simple documentation for the people who buy your theme. If you make an online, and it’s a good idea to make it online, you can make it even more comprehensive by creating a knowledge base. Think as a novice theme user–better yet, ask for a novice WordPress user to use your theme and get the feedback to improve your documentation. Buyers will be thankful.

Serving Unmatched Item Support

Put yourself in their shoes: How would you feel if you buy a theme but the author of that theme never answers a single question?

Whether it be simply answering comments in your ThemeForest item page, or providing a complete ticketing system with tools like Ticksy or Zendesk, answering user questions is key to keep them satisfied. Along with answering ThemeForest commenters and integrating a ticketing system, building a forum might be also a good idea. I’ve seen theme users helping other users.

Plus, keep in mind that those questions are also feedback for how you’ll improve your theme!

Releasing Constant & Useful Updates

Again, think of this as a customer: Would you be satisfied if a theme you bought a couple of months ago hadn’t recieved a single update?

It’s not that hard, really: You most probably already have JavaScript libraries or jQuery plugins in your theme that push updates regularly. And some of your users probably pointed out a bug that needs to be fixed for everyone, not just them. Or, you know, bring out a new feature every once in a while. Your users will be delighted.

Letting Your Customers Know About New Products & Updates

This one’s a no-brainer: If you have contact information of your users (ThemeForest doesn’t let you to gather this info directly but it’s not illegal to ask for it, or populate a newsletter with users who also sign up for your ticketing system.), use that to reach out to them and talk to them. Post updates, or useful blog posts, or even new products–as long as what you send to them is not annoying ore useful, they will like it.

In Conclusion

There are, of course, many more ways other than these to keep your customers satisfied of your products and services. The tips I’ve shared are kind of important, though: Without publishing a documentation, offering great item support, uptading regularly, or reaching out to your customers, they will not be impressed.

Do you have anything to add? Shoot them in the Comments section below. And thanks for reading!